"Among the treasure troves of recently released WikiLeaks cables, we find one whose significance has bypassed Swedish media. In short: every law proposal, every ordinance, and every governmental report hostile to the net, youth, and civil liberties here in Sweden in recent years have been commissioned by the US government and industry interests." How such prestigious nations with such long and proud histories, like Sweden, The Netherlands, and so on, can succumb to pressure from a former colony is beyond me. We should know better.

I and a lot of OSnews readers were born and live in countries that
were someone's colonies; so, your "from a former colony" text
sounds to me full of arrogance, superiority feelings and is not
needed at all in the text above...

No, The Netherlands never were a colony of Spain. Both countries were part of the Holy Roman Empire, in fact a Germanic empire that took some symbols from the old Roman Empire and where the Roman church had much influence. The first Emperor was Frankish (a Germanic tribe). The Emperor of the time of the civil war moved to Spain and ruled from there. The Netherlands didn't want to pay taxes any more, and also the Reformation played its part.

Your historic knowledge of Europe is faulty, which is not surprising giving the fact that you are living in a former colony ;-) Although I have to admit that the former colony has done a great job. But remember that most of your culture originates elsewhere.

What you're not getting is that the blokes in the old continent are getting quite fed up with the US policy of behind the doors lobbying.

In our democracies, new laws are subject to public debate unlike ACTA and other US horror stories. In the past few years, the land of freedom and democracy, has only tried to circumvent the will and sovereignty of the people of other countries that it calls friends.

Furthermore, the non-friends get invaded (Irak) under false pretences. In Irak they destroyed all traces of civility (women's rights and education were thrown back 50 years over there). While Sadam was most probably a tyrant (we'll never know for sure as history is written by the winners), the good old US of A acted without warrant, knowingly under false pretences and without a clear understanding of the consequences (see security, health, education and women's rights).

The US of A is acting more like the old USSR every day and Thom wasn't feeling superior but he was looking down on the US. Europe has it's problems but nothing compares to the structural and civic problems that the citizens of the US have allowed their country to have.

[...] What you're not getting is that the blokes in the old continent are getting quite fed up with the US policy of behind the doors lobbying.

In our democracies, new laws are subject to public debate unlike ACTA and other US horror stories. In the past few years, the land of freedom and democracy, has only tried to circumvent the will and sovereignty of the people of other countries that it calls friends.
[...]

But after some "debate" everthing, some way or another, is either accepted, or ovelooked, or silently condoned... to follow your examples: France´sthree strikes law, Spain´s Sinde law and Irak support, Britain irak support and a fragging citizen extradition (WTF!!!).

Europe is going that same way, it´s just they are still at the "massaging peoples brain" stage.

It's to indicate that what was once a colony, has now risen far above its former colonisers. I don't think that's a good thing.

I like the relationship between, say, modern South American nations or Canada and Europe far more. South American countries have really come into their own, developed their own culture, and are now equal to the countries that once governed them. Yet, you don't see South American countries or Canada trying to act like dicks. The US is the only former colony now seemingly ruling its colonisers.

The Netherlands committed horribly atrocities in its own colonies (especially in Indonesia). However, if you were to ask an Indonesian now if Indonesia should bribe, pressure, and try to rule The Netherlands, they'd most likely say something along the lines of "Of course not - why would we want to do unto you what we did not want you to do unto us?"

It's not an arrogance thing - it's just highlighting how most former European colonies are happy developing their own culture and ideas without trying to shove it down everybody else's throat.

Well I live in a former colony and when I try to access that link I get a cloudfront access restricted message. It seems Pakistani ISPs IPs are suspicious. So looks like former colony stuff is still given weight in old Europe *and* US.